Romans VIII Film Festival and Screenwriters/Playwrights Competition

The Romans VIII Film Festival and Screenwriters/Playwrights Competition is a premier international event devoted exclusively to discovering and celebrating the world’s most inspiring, powerful, and purpose-driven stories—on screen and on stage.

We’re not just looking for great scripts and films—we’re searching for transformative stories rooted in faith, family, hope, and redemption. Whether you're an emerging writer, filmmaker, or a seasoned creative, if your story uplifts, empowers, and resonates with timeless values, this is your stage.

The festival brings together filmmakers, screenwriters, playwrights, musicians, authors, and artists who inspire hope, courage, and creativity through their work. The Romans VIII Film Festival shines a light on uplifting, inspiring, and meaningful stories that impact hearts and minds across the world.

We Welcome Submissions From:

Screenwriters: shorts, features, and television pilots
Playwrights: one-acts, full-length stage plays, and dramatic works of all formats
Filmmakers and Musicians: powerful films and moving songs that tell stories of faith and inspiration

If you believe in the power of story to change hearts and shape culture, submit your screenplay, play, film, or song, and make your voice heard.

Over three unforgettable days, enjoy film screenings, live performances, author spotlights, screenplay and songwriting competitions, and our special Awards Ceremony recognizing exceptional talent in faith-based and family-friendly entertainment.

Join us as we celebrate stories of resilience, faith, and creativity — and honor the artists who bring them to life.

Romans VIII Film Festival — Where Faith Meets Art.

Romans VIII Film Festival and Screenwriters/Playwrights Competition

The Romans VIII Film Festival and Screenwriters/Playwrights Competition proudly honors powerful, purpose-driven storytelling across film, television, and the stage. All winning entries—whether screenplay, film, song, or stage play—will be celebrated during the prestigious 2026 Romans VIII Film Festival.

Awards & Prizes:

Grand Prize Winner (Screenplay or Stage Play):

$2,500 Cash Prize
Romans VIII Grand Laurels
Private meetings with producers and directors for potential optioning or development
Live table read featuring professional actors and VIP guests during the 2026 Festival
One-on-one industry consultation with a faith-based producer
Featured interview on the Romans VIII Podcast
VIP All-Access Pass + Script/Play Showcase at the 2026 Festival
Official award plaque and certificate
Script/play promotion via Romans VIII press and media channels

Grand Prize Winner (Film or Song):

$2,500 Cash Prize
Romans VIII Grand Laurels
Private meetings with producers, directors, or music industry professionals for potential collaboration
Special screening or live performance during the 2026 Festival
One-on-one industry consultation with a faith-based industry leader
Featured interview on the Romans VIII Podcast
VIP All-Access Pass + Showcase at the 2026 Festival
Official award plaque and certificate
Promotion via Romans VIII press and media channels

1st Place Winner:

$1,000 Cash Prize
Romans VIII Laurels
Official award certificate
Spotlight on our website and social media
VIP Festival Pass to the 2026 Romans VIII Film Festival

2nd Place Winner:
$500 Cash Prize
Romans VIII Laurels
Official award certificate
Mention in official festival press and digital materials

3rd Place Winner:

$250 Cash Prize
Romans VIII Laurels
Official award certificate
Social media spotlight
Additional Honors for All Winners:
Official Romans VIII Film Festival Winner Laurels
Option to receive a customized trophy to commemorate the achievement
Recognition across festival media and promotional platforms

Whether you share a powerful film, a moving song, a touching story, or an inspiring screenplay or stage play, the Romans VIII Film Festival and Screenwriters/Playwrights Competition celebrates your commitment to creativity and faith-driven storytelling.

Submit your work. Share your heart. Celebrate your calling.

Romans VIII Film Festival and Screenwriters/Playwrights Competition: Shining a Light on Stories That Matter.

Please take a moment before submitting and read our Official Rules & Terms at:

www.romansviiifestival.org

Add to List

Dates & Deadlines

May 19, 2025
Opening Date
September 3, 2025
Super Early
November 30, 2025
Early
March 31, 2026
Regular
June 16, 2026
Late
August 16, 2026
Final
August 17, 2026
Notification Date
August 21 – 22, 2026
Event Date

Categories & Fees

Best Trailer
- Super Early
- Standard: $10
- Student: $5
- Gold Members: $5
- Early
- Standard: $15
- Student: $10
- Gold Members: $10
- Regular
- Standard: $20
- Student: $15
- Gold Members: $15
- Late
- Standard: $35
- Student: $25
- Gold Members: $25
- Final
- Standard: $40
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $30
Submit Now
Best Short Film
Any narrative fiction short film with a running time of less than 50 minutes, including credits. Short Films have no premiere requirements or prior screening restrictions to retain eligibility.
- Super Early
- Standard: $30
- Student: $20
- Gold Members: $20
- Early
- Standard: $35
- Student: $25
- Gold Members: $25
- Regular
- Standard: $40
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $30
- Late
- Standard: $45
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Final
- Standard: $55
- Student: $45
- Gold Members: $45
Submit Now
Best Feature Film
We are looking for feature length films, over 50 minutes long.
- Super Early
- Standard: $40
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $30
- Early
- Standard: $45
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Regular
- Standard: $50
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
- Late
- Standard: $65
- Student: $55
- Gold Members: $55
- Final
- Standard: $85
- Student: $75
- Gold Members: $75
Submit Now
Documentary Short
All short and long documentaries are welcome!
- Super Early
- Standard: $30
- Student: $20
- Gold Members: $20
- Early
- Standard: $35
- Student: $25
- Gold Members: $25
- Regular
- Standard: $40
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $30
- Late
- Standard: $45
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Final
- Standard: $65
- Student: $45
- Gold Members: $45
Submit Now
Documentary Feature
All short and long documentaries are welcome!
- Super Early
- Standard: $40
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $30
- Early
- Standard: $45
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Regular
- Standard: $50
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
- Late
- Standard: $65
- Student: $55
- Gold Members: $55
- Final
- Standard: $85
- Student: $75
- Gold Members: $75
Submit Now
Student Film
Must be an active student while making the film. Short or feature permitted. Any length and nearly any form but narrative is suggested.
- Super Early
- Standard: $30
- Student: $20
- Gold Members: $20
- Early
- Standard: $35
- Student: $25
- Gold Members: $25
- Regular
- Standard: $40
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $30
- Late
- Standard: $50
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
- Final
- Standard: $65
- Student: $55
- Gold Members: $55
Submit Now
Animated Film
- Super Early
- Standard: $30
- Student: $20
- Gold Members: $20
- Early
- Standard: $40
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $30
- Regular
- Standard: $45
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Late
- Standard: $50
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
- Final
- Standard: $85
- Student: $75
- Gold Members: $75
Submit Now
Television Series
- Super Early
- Standard: $40
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $30
- Early
- Standard: $45
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Regular
- Standard: $50
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
- Late
- Standard: $65
- Student: $55
- Gold Members: $55
- Final
- Standard: $85
- Student: $75
- Gold Members: $75
Submit Now
Best Music Video
- Super Early
- Standard: $20
- Student: $10
- Gold Members: $10
- Early
- Standard: $25
- Student: $15
- Gold Members: $15
- Regular
- Standard: $30
- Student: $20
- Gold Members: $20
- Late
- Standard: $35
- Student: $25
- Gold Members: $25
- Final
- Standard: $55
- Student: $45
- Gold Members: $45
Submit Now
Best Song
- Super Early
- Standard: $30
- Student: $20
- Gold Members: $20
- Early
- Standard: $35
- Student: $25
- Gold Members: $25
- Regular
- Standard: $40
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $30
- Late
- Standard: $50
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
- Final
- Standard: $75
- Student: $65
- Gold Members: $65
Submit Now
Best Actor
- Super Early
- Standard: $40
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $30
- Early
- Standard: $45
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Regular
- Standard: $50
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
- Late
- Standard: $65
- Student: $55
- Gold Members: $55
- Final
- Standard: $85
- Student: $75
- Gold Members: $75
Submit Now
Best Actress
- Super Early
- Standard: $40
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $30
- Early
- Standard: $45
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Regular
- Standard: $50
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
- Late
- Standard: $65
- Student: $55
- Gold Members: $55
- Final
- Standard: $85
- Student: $75
- Gold Members: $75
Submit Now
Best Supporting Actor
- Super Early
- Standard: $30
- Student: $20
- Gold Members: $20
- Early
- Standard: $35
- Student: $25
- Gold Members: $25
- Regular
- Standard: $45
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Late
- Standard: $55
- Student: $45
- Gold Members: $45
- Final
- Standard: $75
- Student: $65
- Gold Members: $65
Submit Now
Best Supporting Actress
- Super Early
- Standard: $30
- Student: $20
- Gold Members: $20
- Early
- Standard: $35
- Student: $25
- Gold Members: $25
- Regular
- Standard: $40
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $30
- Late
- Standard: $55
- Student: $45
- Gold Members: $45
- Final
- Standard: $75
- Student: $65
- Gold Members: $65
Submit Now
Best Director
- Super Early
- Standard: $40
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $30
- Early
- Standard: $45
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Regular
- Standard: $50
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
- Late
- Standard: $65
- Student: $55
- Gold Members: $55
- Final
- Standard: $85
- Student: $75
- Gold Members: $75
Submit Now
Best Music Video Director
- Super Early
- Standard: $30
- Student: $20
- Gold Members: $20
- Early
- Standard: $35
- Student: $25
- Gold Members: $25
- Regular
- Standard: $40
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Late
- Standard: $55
- Student: $45
- Gold Members: $45
- Final
- Standard: $75
- Student: $65
- Gold Members: $65
Submit Now
Best Cinematography
- Super Early
- Standard: $40
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $30
- Early
- Standard: $45
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Regular
- Standard: $50
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
- Late
- Standard: $65
- Student: $55
- Gold Members: $55
- Final
- Standard: $85
- Student: $75
- Gold Members: $75
Submit Now
Best Music Video Cinematography
- Super Early
- Standard: $30
- Student: $20
- Gold Members: $20
- Early
- Standard: $35
- Student: $25
- Gold Members: $25
- Regular
- Standard: $40
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $30
- Late
- Standard: $55
- Student: $45
- Gold Members: $45
- Final
- Standard: $75
- Student: $65
- Gold Members: $65
Submit Now
Best Costume Design
- Super Early
- Standard: $30
- Gold Members: $20
- Early
- Standard: $40
- Gold Members: $30
- Regular
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $40
- Late
- Standard: $60
- Gold Members: $50
- Final
- Standard: $75
- Gold Members: $55
Submit Now
Best Visual Effects
- Super Early
- Standard: $40
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $30
- Early
- Standard: $45
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Regular
- Standard: $50
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
- Late
- Standard: $65
- Student: $55
- Gold Members: $55
- Final
- Standard: $85
- Student: $75
- Gold Members: $75
Submit Now
Feature Screenplay
Feature screenplays must be between 70–130 pages in length. Scripts outside this range may be disqualified without refund. Only screenplays that reflect themes of faith, family, purpose, or holiday are eligible for consideration. We proudly offer a discounted submission rate for writers currently residing in South Carolina. To see if your project qualifies, visit: www.romansviiifestival.org/screenwriters-competition
- Super Early
- Standard: $50
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
- Early
- Standard: $70
- Student: $60
- Gold Members: $60
- Regular
- Standard: $90
- Student: $80
- Gold Members: $80
- Late
- Standard: $110
- Student: $95
- Gold Members: $95
- Final
- Standard: $120
- Student: $105
- Gold Members: $105
Submit Now
Pilot Screenplay
Pilot screenplays must be between 10–70 pages in length. Scripts outside of this range may be disqualified without refund. Upon submission, writers must indicate the nature of the television project—whether it's a webisode, half-hour, hour-long, mini-series, comedy, drama, or any combination thereof. Supplementary materials (such as concept summaries, character breakdowns, and future episode outlines) are not required and cannot be guaranteed for review. However, if you wish to include them, you may attach them with your submission or email them to: info@romansviiifestival.org SOUTH CAROLINA SCREENWRITERS: A discounted submission rate is available for writers currently residing in South Carolina. To check eligibility and apply, visit: www.romansviiifestival.org/screenwriters-competition. Only screenplays centered on faith, family, purpose, or holiday themes will be considered.
- Super Early
- Standard: $50
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
- Early
- Standard: $70
- Student: $60
- Gold Members: $60
- Regular
- Standard: $90
- Student: $80
- Gold Members: $80
- Late
- Standard: $110
- Student: $95
- Gold Members: $95
- Final
- Standard: $120
- Student: $105
- Gold Members: $105
Submit Now
Short Film Screenplay
Short film screenplays must be between 5–40 pages in length. Scripts outside of this range may be disqualified without refund. SOUTH CAROLINA SCREENWRITERS: We offer a discounted submission rate for writers currently residing in South Carolina. To see if your project qualifies, please visit: www.romansviiifestival.org/screenwriters-competition. Only screenplays that reflect themes of faith, family, purpose, or holiday are eligible for consideration
- Super Early
- Standard: $35
- Student: $25
- Gold Members: $25
- Early
- Standard: $45
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Regular
- Standard: $65
- Student: $55
- Gold Members: $55
- Late
- Standard: $85
- Student: $75
- Gold Members: $75
- Final
- Standard: $105
- Student: $95
- Gold Members: $90
Submit Now
One Act Stage Play
- Super Early
- Standard: $30
- Student: $20
- Gold Members: $20
- Early
- Standard: $40
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $30
- Regular
- Standard: $50
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
- Late
- Standard: $70
- Student: $60
- Gold Members: $60
- Final
- Standard: $90
- Student: $80
- Gold Members: $80
Submit Now
Full-Length Stage Play
- Super Early
- Standard: $45
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Early
- Standard: $55
- Student: $45
- Gold Members: $45
- Regular
- Standard: $65
- Student: $55
- Gold Members: $55
- Late
- Standard: $75
- Student: $65
- Gold Members: $65
- Final
- Standard: $110
- Student: $95
- Gold Members: $95
Submit Now

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